Job Description
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has an environmental senior specialist position available within the Solid Waste and Contaminated Sites Section, located in Des Moines, Iowa. In this position you will be involved in furthering the DNR’s mission to conserve and enhance our natural resources by providing environmental compliance oversight, direction, and assistance to land owners and responsible parties for the investigation and remediation of hazardous substances and contaminant releases.
This position will serve as a lead worker for the Pre-Remedial program, Support Agency Work Plan, the Registry of Hazardous Waste Substance Disposal Sites, and will provide technical assistance for the state’s hazardous waste collection fee. The position will be a project manager for assigned sites, or review assignments of sites to other staff, under the regulatory authority of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for both Superfund and Brownfield sites, and relevant state regulations for hazardous condition releases impacting Iowa’s soils and groundwater within Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 567-131, 133, 135, and 137. Duties may include administrative, technical or field activities to be conducted under these authorities. Project management includes evaluation of reports concerning environmental contamination for determination of significant risk to human health or the environment, directing regulated parties to conduct additional site investigation, risk analysis, implementation of remedial activities and monitoring as appropriate, in order to mitigate undue environmental impact, prevent human health exposures, and bring sites to regulatory oversight closure.
The position may periodically manage or assist in conducting environmental site assessments; this fieldwork may include use of the department’s Geoprobe© as well as other specialized sampling equipment for the collection and analysis of soil, soil vapor, and groundwater samples. The position will oversee the maintenance, quality assurance, and certification of field and sampling equipment, as needed.
This position requires both verbal and written communication, including preparing reports of investigation, meetings with internal and external customers, e.g., regulated parties, federal, state, county, and local officials, environmental professionals, and the review and coordination of work assignments with team members.
Job duties will also include participation in planning and program development activities, process improvement, and identifying and engaging in approved training activities for technical and job duty enhancement, as well as additional duties assigned by the supervisor.
Essential Functions
Understand, interpret and carryout environmental laws, rules, policies, guidance, and procedures regarding contaminated sites programs; use computers and database computer software products at moderate to advanced levels for the purposes of data management and generating documents, reports, and data charts; effectively and accurately communicate, both verbally and in written work products, complex technical processes in terms understandable by the general public; develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff, other state and federal agencies, industry professionals and consultants, and the general public; periodic travel in-state and out-of-state for fieldwork, training, and attendance at meetings, including occasional overnight stays; perform environmental assessment field work, which may involve negotiating of rough terrain while carrying equipment in varied weather conditions. The candidate will be required to have, or to successfully complete within 6 months of employment, the 40-hour EPA health and safety training in Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), as well as annual refreshers, and will be required to participate in annual medical monitoring, including physical and periodic stress test.
Critical Job Competencies
Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Communications Skills, Team Player, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, Computer Skills, Customer Focus, Technical Skills (environmental contamination)
What You Get From Us:
- A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
- Flexible schedules and opportunities for hybrid telework for a portion of the work week (as approved by supervisor).
- Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.
(Premiums can start as low as $54/month for single and $180/month for family coverage).
- Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
- Nine paid holidays/year.
- Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
- Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
- Professional training opportunities.
- Employee Assistance Program
- Family friendly and professional work environment.
The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
What We’re Looking for in You!
Describe in your application materials how you demonstrate the Critical Job Competencies, can perform the Essential Functions, and that you have education/experience transferable to the Job Description.
The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their DAS online application.
The State’s total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. For a list of additional benefits, please visit the DAS website for more information. The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable).
The DNR seeks to hire individuals who wish to support our mission, which is to conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organization, to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in a Natural Science and three years of full time professional scientific experience in an environmental program in the areas of water supply, waste water, animal feeding operations, hazardous substances, radiation, sewage treatment, solid waste, geology, history, archeology, flood plain, air pollution, dam safety, or underground storage tanks;
OR
an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting one year of the required full-time professional work for each 30 semester hours of the required education;
OR
an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting thirty semester hours of accredited graduate level coursework in a Natural Science, history, or archeology for each year of the required experience to a maximum substitution of two years;
OR
employees with current continuous experience in the State of Iowa Executive Branch that includes twenty-four months of full-time work as an Environmental Specialist or Environmental Engineer.
For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description. (Download PDF reader)
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